Harness Millions showcase two stars

Two absolute harness racing stars shone tonight on NZB Standardbred Harness Millions Night at Alexandra Park.

Stella Rouge (Bettor’s Delight) showed her staying qualities when she outmuscled Arafura to win by a nose in the $150,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Three Year Old Fillies Final.

It was a heady drive by reinsman Tim Williams who stayed away from the early fireworks before electing to move forward to sit parked outside leader Arafura.

The two class fillies went to war down the straight with Stella Rouge just getting there by the barest of margins.

“These races are never easy to win. There’s not much between these top fillies. She’s pretty special and we’re over the moon,” said stable representative Jill Stockman.

STELLA ROUGE REPLAY

Stella Rouge is trained by Steve and Amanda Telfer and is owned by Stonewall Stud who bought her for $97,500 at the 2023 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch.

Stella Rouge is trained out of the Stonewall’s South Island base.

“We’ve got great teams north and south and that has allowed Mandy to be up here with the horse for the last week.”

The win was the three year old’s fifth in just nine starts.

The winning time of 2-39.7 was a new race record, surpassing True Fantasy’s 2022 winning time of 2-40.2. The New Zealand record of 2-36.9 is held by Golden Goddess.

Marketplace (Bettor’s Delight) in the golden hands of Craig Ferguson proved he’s quality plus, in the $200,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Three Year Old Colts and Geldings Final.

He led, took a trail and showed blistering speed up the passing lane to run down Got The Chocolates driven by John Dunn.

“He (Ferguson) showed a bit of patience. He handed up to the right one when Johnny came round. He’s just got faith in the horse and knows him so well,” trainer Regan Todd said.

MARKETPLACE REPLAY

The $200,000 Group One Great Northern Derby at the same venue on April 25th is likely to be the next major race for the gelding.

“We’ll just let the dust settle, we’ll have a look (at the racing programme) over the weekend and obviously there’s the Derby.”

Marketplace was bought by Phil and Glenys Kennard for $100,000 at the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch and they race the gelding with Peter Baken, Graeme Beirne, John Magness and Todd.

The overall time of 2-39.8 was outside the race and New Zealand record of 2-36.1 held by 2016 winner Ultimate Machete who was also part owned by the Kennards.

HRNZ records show Glenys and Phil Kennard have now owned a staggering 680 winners in New Zealand. Their first, as part of the Blue Blood Number Three Syndicate, was Idle Bromac at Ashburton in May 1987 trained and driven by Robert Dunn.

The Christchurch based couple are just one New Zealand Group One win away from hitting 60 and with Marketplace and Bet N Win whom they also part own, heading for some lofty targets in the coming months the six zero isn’t too far away.

The couple’s first Group One winner was Fiery Falcon in the Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Two Year Old Final at Addington in May 2007.

Tonight’s racing was a huge one for Ferguson who was seen at his best in guiding Don’t Stop Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) home to win the Auckland Co-op Taxi 300-3000 City of Auckland FFA.

The Hayden and Amanda Cullen trained five year looked to be in a hopeless position inside the last 500 metres but Ferguson plotted a path for the entire and he came home strongly to just get there by a nose from Mo’unga (Bettor’s Delight) who steamed home up the passing lane.

Dont Stop Dreaming’s winning time of 2-36.6 was a new race record. The previous record of 2-38.3 was held by 2022 winner South Coast Arden.

DON’T STOP DREAMING REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink